Here’s how it happened; I was cranking out calculus problems in Walter Library at the U when I heard this riotous yelling along blaring music. I ignored it for a total of three minutes before my ADD got the better of me and before you can say, “all good liberals love a protest,” my books were in my bag and I was almost running across the mall toward the noise.
I ended in front of Smith Hall where a group of people were yelling into microphones and waving signs. Before I could see what they were angry about, this reporter came up to me asking what came to my mind when I heard the name Karl Rove.
“ummm, the Iraq War,” was all I could think to say. Then she asked me if I had any positive or negative feelings toward him. Besides calling the president, Father Obama, I don’t have many personal feelings toward politicians. So, I said I felt neutral about Karl, at which point the woman launched into her monologue about how Rove is Satan, and shouldn’t be at the U. That’s when I interrupted her and said, “Karl Rove is here?”
Woman, “yah, he’s in Smith.”
Me (excited), “Smith Hall? Right here? Where I have Organic Chemistry, is where
Karl Rove is right now?”
Woman (getting annoyed), “yah, but the point is that he shouldn’t be here becau-“
Me (getting tired of woman and excited about Karl), “That’s insane! Karl Rove is in Smith Hall!”
Woman (making a last ditch effort), “but he’s responsible for the war in Iraq!”
Me ,”But, right now he’s in Smith Hall! I need to go see him!
And, I’m off; walking through the protestors and into the police guarded building.
Karl was in a lecture hall answering questions for students for Conservative Week. My excitement to see Karl Rove was not because I agree with him politically. It was more because I find politics fascinating and wanted to see him answer some tough questions. He was responsible for the deaths of millions of people, and he should have to answer that, right?
However, once inside the auditorium, I was unexpectedly in awe of this witty and well spoken man. He had my heart at “America was founded on the principles of freedom and small government where we can have choices with how we spend our money instead of other people telling us.”
It didn’t even matter that I disagreed with almost everything he said, such as, “Hiroshima was a necessary evil.” Or, “Maybe if people just thought more carefully about the necessity of seeing a doctor and used their money wisely, we wouldn’t have a healthcare crisis.”
I was in love. The way his spun his tales of healthcare reform and lower taxes was beautiful. And when protestors had to be taken out forcefully by police while they yelled, “who’s the terrorist? Rove’s the terrorist!” he just laughed it off and thanked our forefathers for freedom so speech. Sigh.
I was so caught up in the whole event that I made the mistake of clapping after he said something particularly amazing. Up until that point I had been doing a good job of concealing my enthusiasm, so the cynical Rove hating students around me wouldn’t confuse me with one of the Conservatives. I rolled my eyes and acted bothered just like the rest of them, but inside I was secretly loving the entire encounter. Who was this nerdy man who, for good or bad, had risen to become one of the most influential politicians of our time?
